PeopleSoft shakeout begins at the top

Oracle Corporation fired PeopleSoft‘s co-president and chief financial officer, Kevin T. Parker, and three other top executives, a day after assuming control of the rival software maker in a $10.3 billion takeover, according to a report in today’s New York Times.

Oracle terminated W. Phillip Wilmington, co-president; Nanci Caldwell, chief marketing officer; and James Shaughnessy, general counsel, effective yesterday, according to a regulatory filing. Oracle named its co-presidents, Charles E. Phillips Jr. and Safra A. Catz, and its chief financial officer, Harry L. You, to the PeopleSoft posts.

Oracle officially took control on 29 December, ending an 18-month takeover battle. The combined company has more than 22,750 customers and more than 53,800 employees (currently: a notice on Oracle’s corporate website says “The new structure of the combined organization will be communicated by January 14th. Employees who will not continue with the combined company will be notified on that date wherever possible”).

PeopleSoft founder and former CEO David Duffield resigned from the company effective from 21 December.

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